samuel c



S. C. McKEOWN.

BRUSH HOLDER. I APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 25. 1911.

Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

smear. c. mxnown, or ms'r ELECTRICAL compan ORANGE,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO SPLITDORI- OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. I

Barren-Homes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented Aii 5, 1919.

Application filed September 25, 1917. Serial No. 188,119.

electrical apparatus used in connection with ignition systems forinternal combustion en ines.

use in connection with a magneto used for the urpose of producing and.distrrbutlng sparking current to the sparklng devices located in thevarious engine ,cylmders. Magnetos used for this purpose usually have .adistributor block which carries the contacts to which the spark plugwires are attached; at the same time the block acts as a housing for thedistributing finger which serves as a medium for conducting current fromthe secondary of the high tension coil to the various distributer pointsbyway of a distributer brush carried by the distributing disk or finger.

In order that the brush carried by the rotating distributing finger maybe kept in its proper working position a sprin of some kind is utilizedto continually orce the brush outward from its retainer and when theblock is removed for any purpose whatsoever, the distributer brusli'will popout of it retainer unless restrained by some means.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a brush holder whichhas a restraining means suitable for retaining the brush in the holderwhen the distributer block has been removed. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a retainer which will serveas a means for withdrawing the brush from the holder itself wherebydamage to the brush and its operating spring is reduced to a minimum.That is to say, the retainer acts as a protector for the (brush andspring.

These and other objects will be apparent to one skilled in the art afterastudy of this specification in connection with the drawing, in whichFigure 1' is a fragmentary sectional View of a portion of a distributorblock with the distributing finger and means for driving the same.

y invention is particularly adapted for since this is all old and well IFig. 2 shows one form of my'brush holder set lnto the distributingfinger but with the retainer nearly withdrawn from the holder.

Fig. 3 is a modified form of brush holder and retainer with the retainerpartly withdrawn from the holder.

,Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Fig.2 along the line 44, but with theretainer farther in the holder.

Fig. 5 is another which may be used for the retainer shown in Fig. 2.

f Fig. 6 is another way of holding the brush in the retainer.

Referring now articularly to the details, 1 isa portion oft e end lateof a magneto within which is moun a ball bearing 2 that carries adistributer gear 3. Gear 3 is driven in the usual way from; the pinionon the armature or. rotor of the magneto but inventionfurther deof-themagneto does The sleeve 4 to which carries an insulating forms no partof my scription of this part not appear necessary.

the gear 3 is attached finger 5 having a stem 6 in which is molded ametal insert 7, which carries a brush 8 for the purpose of collectingthe high tension current from any suitable connecting device. Preferablymolded integrally with the finger 5 is a brush holder 9 adapted to carrya" retainer 10, which in the forms shown in Figs. 2 and4 is U-shaped.The retainer 10 is indented along one side at 11 which indentationserves as a guide for the brush 12 which has agroove 13 to coact withthe guide 11. The brush'holder 9 also has an indentation 14 that matcheswith indentation 11 of the retainer so that the retainer 10 is guided inthe brush holder 9. Attached to the bottom of the brush 12, in any.suitable manner such as plate 15 which may be soldered to the brush 12',is a rod 16.

understood and form of brush retainer having a head 17 placed thereonafter the rod 16 has been passed through the hole in the bottom of theretainer 10. A spring 18 is supported [by the rod 16 between the bottomof the retainer and the bottom of the brush 12 and serves to push thebrush out- I ard to hold it inits normal tion, which, as shown in Fig.1, is against the pathway of the distributer block 19 in which aremolded a number of inserts 20 corresponding to the number of engine cy1-working posiconnected to the contacts 20 by the Openings 21 and screwspassm the threaded holes 22. The l'stributer block 19, as shown, hasother contact points 23 but since these form no glart of my presentinvention they are not rther described herein.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that when the retainer 10 andbrush 12 are in 7 their normal working position the head 17 Themodification may be of bolt 16 passes through a hole 24 in the bottom ofbrush holder9 and the insulated part of the finger 5. When thedistributer block 19 is removed from the magneto the brush 12 will moveoutwardly in the retainer 10 only so far as the head 17 on the bolt 16will permit it and in order to withdraw the brush instead of pullingdirectly thereon the retainer 10 is seized and retainer and brushtogether are withdrawn from the holder 9. shown in Fig. 5 illustrates acomplete box type of holder for the brush. One ofthe side walls is slitat 25 in order that the retainer 26 may expand enough to frictionallyengage the side of the holder 9 to keep the retainer 26 frictionally inplace therein in the same manner that the retainer is held in lace aswill be seen by its position in ig. 2 wherein the arms are so formed asto have a certain outward ten sion whereby when the retainer 10 is inits normal working position in the holder 9 it will grip the side wallsof the holder.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 one side of the retainer has a hook27 formed thereon and this side has a slight set at 28 so that when theretainer is withdrawn from the holder the hook 27 will spring outward asshown in Fig. 3 whereby the 'brush 12 readily withdrawn from theretainer. In this modified form the brush, retainer and holder havegrooves and guideways corresponding to the form shown in Fig. 2 but adiiferent type ofspring attachment is used for the movement of thebrush.

In Fig. 6 the brush 12 has a hole 29 through it and the rod 16 extendsthrough a longitudinal hole that enters the crosshole 29, and is upsetat 30 so it will not pull out of the longitudinal hole. This makes avery cheap and quick attachment of the brush to the retainer.

While I have shown certain forms of my invention it will be apparentthat numerous changes and alterations may be made in the various detailswithout departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is z-- I 1. In a deviceofthe class described, a

brush havin a channel therein, a retainer for the brus having a guideadapted to cooperate with said channel, a holder for the retainer, aspring mounted within the retainer, for moving-the brush outward to takeup wear, and means associated with the brush and retainer for limitingthe outward movement of the 'brush as described.

2. In a device of the class described, a brush having a channel therein,a retainer for the brush having a guide adapted to 00-, 2

operate with said channel, a holder for the retainer having a guideadapted to 006R:

ate with the guide in the retainer, a spring mounted within the retainerfor moving the brush outwardly to compensate for wear, and meanscooperating between the brush and retainer for limiting the outward'movement of the brush for the purpose described.

3. In a device of the class described, a brush having a channel therein,a retainer for the brush having a guide adapted to cooperate with saidchannel, a holder for the retainer, a pin attached to said brush andpassing through the bottom of the retainer and having a head thereon, aspring supported by said pin and acting between the brush and retainerto move the brush outwardly to compensate for wear, said head on the pinservin to limit the outward movement of the rush and a clearance holethrough and below the holder for the movement of said pin and headthereon.

4. In a distributing device of the class described, a block ofinsulating material, a brush holder molded permanently therein, aresilient brush retainer adapted t0 frictionally fit within said holder,a brush movably mounted within said retainer, a spring to move the brushoutwardly as the same wears, andmeans associated with said brush andretainer for limiting the outward movement of the brush.

5. In a distributing device of the class described, a block ofinsulating material, a brush holder molded permanently therein, aresilient brush retainer adapted to frictionally fit within said holder,a brush movably mounted within said retainer, a spring to move the brushoutwardly as the same wears, and means associated with said brush andretainer for limiting the outward movement of the brush, said retainerserving as a means for withdrawing the brush from the holder wherebydamage to brush and spring

